The Trust was launched in July 2013 as a lower-risk way for investors to get exposure to the global Financials sector and give UK investors the ability to diversify their exposure away from UK banks.

It was one of the most successful investment trust launches at the time. The Trust was launched with a fixed life to May 2020, providing certainty to investors through the opportunity to realise their investment at this time at net asset value. Shareholders subsequently supported a proposal to extend its life indefinitely, subject to regular tender offers at net asset value (less costs) every five years.

Following this first recent successful tender offer in June 2025, the Company continues to operate with the same team, process, and approach. However, the performance fee was removed and a tiered management fee introduced; the Trust moved from a progressive to an enhanced dividend policy and finally, to allow for a more unconstrained mandate, no minimum fixed income allocation.

At launch, the Trust gave investors exposure to well-known financial companies in the US and Europe as well as faster growing emerging market banks. Today the portfolio is broader with exposure to payment companies that were not in the sector at launch, a higher exposure to stock exchanges and alternative asset managers, among others, while conversely a lower exposure to bank shares.